The present inventor has pioneered in the artistic field of installing photographic artwork in public places. Such photographic artwork needs to be protected within a very durable, transparent, optically perfect structure to be viewed with the same photographic resolution and yet survive exposure to public use, moisture, environmental and chemical damage, and fading over time. Therefore, it would be desirable to hermetically seal photographic works in high-impact glass in a manner that would preclude the introduction of any moisture, environmental, or chemical attack.
Glass tiles have been produced by known glass molding techniques. Decorative materials have been encased in glass tiles by molding or laminating. However, conventional glass molding or laminating techniques have not been found suitable for encasing photographic works in glass tiles because of high finishing requirements, chemical intrusion, and/or lack of optical trueness.